Post navigation

It’s Not Easy Being a Superhero

We’re often drawn to protagonists like Indiana Jones, Captain America, the Green Lantern, or Superman.

Why do we love characters like these? I believe it is because their story mimics our story.

Image via Creative Commons/Image by Esparta Palma

They have problems:

Indiana Jones faces snakes and bad guys that want the treasure he is after

Captain America is thrust into a world he is unfamiliar with. Years have passed by and he is unchanged. The world is not.

The Green Lantern is self-absorbed and given the responsibility to protect Earth. He has to learn to control his emotions.

Superman has his arch-nemesis Lex Luthor. He has love issues. He’s an alien.

They have weaknesses or suffered a loss:

Captain America has lost all he has ever known. His friends and family are either dead or old.

Green Lantern becomes weak in the presence of yellow.

Superman is crippled by kryptonite. He becomes weak, vulnerable, almost human.

Yet, even with these problems and weaknesses, they continue to fight on. They live their lives to the best of their ability. They give it their all.

This is why their stories draw us in. Stir our emotions. Make us cheer.

They’re living a great story. The best stories we sometimes say.

Quit hanging on to the handrails . . . Let go. Surrender. Go for the ride of your life. Do it every day.
— Melody Beattie, Finding Your Way Home

But you know what? Your story could be just as engaging as these superheroes.

It doesn’t require you to dress up like these guys:

Image via Creative Commons/Image by JD Harvell

But to do so requires something of you. It requires you to give your all in this life.

You must be willing to tackle the obstacles that come your way:

Heartbreak

Death

Job Loss

Physical Challenges

Brokenness

You will have battle wounds. You will have loss. You will feel pain.

It won’t be easy but it will be worth it.

For when you overcome these situations, that is when your story shines. You will be able to:

Help others with the issues you have overcome

Share your story with those that have no idea life could be that way

Have companions you have shared the journey with

Leave a positive legacy for your family

Feel like you lived a great life

Take a few minutes and think about your life. Ask yourself these questions:

Am I living up to my potential?

Am I proud of the life I’ve lived?

What more could I do with my life?

Would anyone want to listen to a story about my life?

If you don’t like the answers, start to change your life today. Begin to craft the story you would like your life to tell.

Take the next 20-30 minutes and begin to write out the story you would like your to tell. Let your mind flow and write any ideas that come to mind. Don’t hold back!

Now, look at your list. What would it take to live the life you’ve written down?

Decide what needs to be done and start crafting your amazing story. The world NEEDS you to live the story you were created for. Stop holding back and start living your life!

“And once you live a good story, you get a taste for a kind of meaning in life, and you can’t go back to being normal; you can’t go back to meaningless scenes stitched together by the forgettable thread of wasted time.”
— Donald Miller, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life

Question: What story would you like your life to tell? Are you living that life? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”